Tue, 06 Feb 2018 08:45:24 -0700WeeblyThu, 05 Oct 2017 16:30:00 GMThttp://www.macmt.org/community/grants-of-up-to-2000-will-be-awarded-to-organizations-that-are-implementing-after-school-meal-programsAfter School Meal Program GrantsThis grant cycle runs from October 3rd through November 1st. To apply, visithttp://nokidhungrygrants.force.com/, Grants of up to $2,000 will be awarded to organizations that are implementing after­school meal programs or to transition exist­ing programs from serving afterschool snacks to offering full meals through the CACFP.

The program is flexible. Many schools start offering afterschool meals at 3:00pm so that students can eat before their activities such as band, clubs, sports, and tutoring. The meal is often comprised as a “super-snack.” This way, kids can have more food to sustain them until they eat dinner (if they get dinner at home), schools can be re­imbursed at a higher rate for a meal instead of just a snack, and food services can easily prepare the food. Schools can develop their own menus which allow them to offer healthy food that will teach kids good eating habits, making them less likely to snack on junk food.]]>Thu, 28 Sep 2017 17:00:00 GMThttp://www.macmt.org/community/education-training-opportunity-novemberThe 2017 Christian Unity Gathering of the National Council of Churches, with the theme "Resilience, Resistance, and Persistence,” will be heldNovember 8-10in Silver Spring, Maryland. Information and registration details are available here:

I hope that many of you took a few minutes this weekend to enjoy the rain and breathe some fresh air! These are challenging times as so many of you continue to battle against the potential of terrifying cuts on both the state and federal levels.

As you know, Congress is back from its summer recess, and the Montana Food Bank Network wanted to provide you with an update on the federal budget as it relates to SNAP. It looks as if the House will be delaying a vote on its budget resolution until early October to give leaders time to settle on a framework for a tax plan. If you need a refresher on the billions of dollars in proposed cuts to SNAP in the House resolution, please check out this blog from CBPP: https://www.cbpp.org/blog/house-budget-targets-snap-for-cuts. The Senate has also begun work on its budget resolution, with much of their attention currently also focused on tax reform.

For membership and advocacy organizations, we expect early October to be an important time to increase constituent contacts into the offices of our delegation, and we plan to send you an action alert template then. In the meantime, please consider reaching out individually, as providers and organizational and community leaders, to Representative Gianforte and Senators Daines and Tester to ask them to oppose cuts to SNAP (and any of the other programs you work to protect) in each of their chamber’s budget resolutions.

The U.S. House is expected to vote thismonth on the federal budget resolutionpassed by the House Budget Committee in July.

The resolution passed by the House Budget Committee includes cuts of at least $203 billion to mandatory programs including food assistance, income assistance, job training programs, help for students struggling to afford college, and economic development. It also cuts $1.6 billion from the successful Community Eligibility Provision, which allows high-need schools to serve school breakfast and lunch to all children at no cost.

The budget includes more than $10 billion in cuts directed at agriculture, the bulk of which will come from cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), with an additional $150 billion in suggested cuts from dramatic downsizing and restructuring of the program. Food pantries and other local programs do not have the capacity to respond the increased need for food assistance that these cuts would create, worsening the impacts of hunger in our state.

These harsh cuts to SNAP and other poverty-reduction programs will pull the rug out beneath thousands of Montanans, including children, the elderly, low-wage workers, and people with disabilities. Please help us urge Representative Gianforte to oppose these devastating cuts and vote no on the House budget resolution.

Dear Rep. Gianforte, I am (name) from (city/town, MT). As your constituent, I'm writing to ask you to oppose the House budget resolution. The resolution passed by the House Budget Committee will require cuts of at least $203 billion to mandatory programs that help some of the most vulnerable in our society. This includes drastic cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, making it harder for families in my community to make ends meet and keep food on the table.

While I recognize the need for fiscal responsibility, the vision for America outlined in the House budget will worsen hunger and poverty for millions of people, including tens of thousands here in Montana. The long term effects of these cuts will be felt for decades in increased health care costs, lowered educational success, and lost economic productivity. Please reject this vision for America and vote no on the House budget resolution.

]]>Fri, 08 Sep 2017 15:00:00 GMThttp://www.macmt.org/community/openings-for-mt-youth-leadership-councilApplications open for the 2017-2018 Governor and First Lady Youth Leadership Council in September 2017! Up to 20 7th-12th graders will be selected to serve on the Council and help fight childhood hunger in Montana.

Applications are dueOctober 13, 2017, with decisions made later that month. More details and application materials can be found online at www.fightchildhoodhunger.com

The International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) is seeking applications from education professionals that train future religious leaders to take part in the 2018 KAICIID International Fellows Programme. The Programme gathers religious teachers from around the world for in-person and online training in dialogue, mediation and promoting social cohesion that will bring the Fellows to Vienna to teach dialogue, become active facilitators and leaders in dialogue and be advocates for peace in their communities.

Set to commence in January 2018, the International Fellows Programme will support the Fellows development so they can develop and implement small-scale local and international projects during the course of the programme. There will also be opportunities to organize and attend dialogues, lectures, field visits and conferences